Adjustable letter-package tier.



U. J. BURKE.

ADJUSTABLE LETTER PACKAGE TIER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. b 1914.

Patented May 11, 1915.

g w m 06 NW w n THE NORRIS FEA'ERS CO.- FHOTo-LITHO. WASHINUTUN- D. C.

in ran STATES ULYSSES J. BURKE, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

ADJUSTABLE LETTER-PACKAGE TIER.

Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed December7, 1914. Serial No. 875,919.

' age Tiers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to improvements in package tiers, but more particularly it relates to improvements in adjustable package tiers, particularly adapted though not necessarily limited in its use for bundling or securing together a package or bundle of letters, or letters and postal cards, and one of the objects of the same is to provide an improved device of this character,

so constructed as to be adjustable to accommodate packages of difierent sizes, with the result that when a small package is to be tied, there will be no long free end of the encircling member, projecting beyond the fastening means.

Other and further objects will appear from the following specification and claims in connection with the accompanying drawing, and in which drawing- Figure 1 is a view of an improved device of this character, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention and showing the same as appliedto a package of considerable size. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the parts may be adjusted to accommodate a smaller package. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views in detail of some of the parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates generally the body portion of the tier, which may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably of leather, and pivotally connected to one end of the body by means of a link 11, is a buckle 12, while a loop or eye 13 is pivotally connected at the other end of the body. This body 10 may be of any desired length but is preferably of a length slightly greater than the width of an envelop. A flexible encircling member 14, preferably in the form of a strap, preferably of a width slightly less than the width of the body 10, is secured at one extremity as at 15 to one end of the body 10. A slide 16 is mounted to loosely move upon the body 10, the opening 17 through which the body 10 passes is of a size only slightly greater than the size of the body for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. This slide 16 is provided with a portion 18 which projects from that face of the body 10, to which the encircling member 14 is secured and is provided with an opening 19 therethrough and through which opening 19, the, encircling member passes. This encircling member is secured to one end of the body and is then extended along one face of the body to pass through the opening 19 in the slide 16 and is then bent back upon itself to pass through the loop or eye 13. The length of the projecting portion of the encircling member 14, which extends beyond the end of the body 10, is varied or con trolled by the adjustment of the slide 16 on the body 10. Thus when it is desired to shorten the projecting portion of the encircling member, the slide 16 is moved to that end of the body to which the buckle is secured and when the encircling member is drawn taut, the slide 16 will be held against accidental displacement on the body by the friction between the slide and the body under the stress of the encircling member. When it is desired to secure or fasten a large package, then the encircling member must be extended and this is accomplished by moving the slide 16 on the body 10 toward that end of the latter to which the loop 13 is secured.

The articles to be fastened are placed in contact with the face of the body 10 opposite to that face from which the portion 18 of the slide 16 projects, and the encircling member 14 passed around the articles so that the end of the member 14 will engage the buckle 12. In order tohold the free extremity 20 of the encircling member so as to prevent an accidental disengagement of the buckle therefrom, there is provided on the encircling member, a catch device 21, which moves freely on the member and is provided with an opening. 22 through which the member 14 passes. This catch is provided also with an opening 23 and the openings 22 and 23 are formed by a dividing wall 24 which has an incline upper face 25, arranged parallel with the face 26 of the upper wall 27 of the slide, and this upper wall 27 is provided with an opening 28 through which opening the end of the encircling member may be inserted into the opening 23, by twisting the encircling member. In order to prevent the catch 21 from becoming accidentally disengaged or preventing it from slipping off the end of the encircling member when the device is not in use, a suitable stop device 29 may be secured to the member. In order to accommodate small packages, and to allow the buckle 12 to be folded down close to the body 10, the buckle is secured to the body by means of the links 11, which will permit a free movementor" the buckle and will also permit of this close folding position. Obviously any number of these catches 21 may be provided on the encircling member 14 and may be arranged in any position so as to secure the free end of the encircling member when the latter is adjusted to lengthen or shorten the same.

What is claimed as new is:

1. An adjustable package tie embodying a body portion, a flexible encircling member secured by one extremity to the body to project beyond one end of the latter, a fastening device connected with the body and with which fastening device the encircling member has detachable engagement, and means slidingly mounted upon the body between the ends thereof and also having sliding engagement with the encircling member for varying the length of the latter with respect to the body.

2. An adjustable package tier embodying a body portion, a flexible encircling member secured by one extremity to'the body portion, toproject beyond one end of the latter, a buckle connected, to the other extremity of the body and with which buckle the encircling member has detachable engagement, and means-having sliding engagement with the encircling member and also mounted to slide freely upon the said bodyto vary the length of the projecting portion of the encircling member with respect to the body, said means being frictionally held against displacement with respect to the body by the stress of the encircling member upon the said means. i

3. An adjustable package tier, embodying a body portion, a flexible encircling member secured by one extremity to the body portion, to project beyond one end of the latter, a buckle connected to the other extremity of the body and with which buckle the encircling member has detachable engagement, means havingsliding engagementwith the encircling member and also mounted to slide freely upon the said body to vary the length of the projecting portion of the encircling member with respect to the body, said means being frictionally held against displacement with respect to the body by the stress of the encircling member upon the said means, and a catch device for holding the end of the encircling member which projects beyond the buckle.

4. An adjustable package tie, embodying a body, a buckle, a link connection between the buckle and one end of the body, a flexible encircling member connected by one extremity to the other end of the body, a loop at that end of the body to which the flexible member is connected, a slide mounted to freely slide upon the body between its ends, said slide having an apertured portion, said member extending along the body toward the buckle end, passing freely through the slide and then bent back upon itself toextend through the loop to project beyond the loop end of the body, the end of the flexible member adapted to detachably engage the said buckle, said slide being retained in its adjusted position with respect to the body, by the stress exerted upon the'slide by the said encircling member, and a catch mountedto slide freely upon the encircling member for holding the free extremity of the encircling member.

5. An adjustable package tie, embodying a body, a buckle, a link connection between the buckle and one end of the body, a flexible encircling member connected by one extremity to the other end of'the body, a loop at that end of the bodyto which the flexible member is connected, a slide mounted to freely slide upon the body between its ends, saidslide having an apertured portion, said member extending along the body toward the buckleend, passing freely through the slide and then bent back upon itself to ex tend through the loop to project beyond the loop end of the body, the end of the flexible member adapted todetachably engage the said buckle, said slide being retained in its adjusted position with respect to the body, by the stress exerted upon the slide by the said encircling member, and means for holding the free end of the encircling member.

ULYSSES J. BURKE. Witnesses:

THOMAS FRANCIS ,IQELLEHER, ALBERT LINCOLN CLUNTE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained-for five cents each, byiaddress ing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I G. 

